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From Kitchen Creation to Hofer Shelves: Amafood's Entrepreneurial Success Story
๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ Slovenia /Economy & Trade

From Kitchen Creation to Hofer Shelves: Amafood's Entrepreneurial Success Story

From Delo · (6m ago) Slovenian Positive tone

Translated from Slovenian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Natalija Ogorevc, founder of Amafood, transitioned from a pharmaceutical career to entrepreneurship, creating granola and protein bars.
  • Hofer, a retail company, recognized Amafood's potential, initially offering promotional sales and later collaborating on developing private-label products.
  • This partnership has led to continuous orders and consistent quality, with Amafood's products now available in Hofer stores domestically and internationally.

The story of Amafood and its founder, Natalija Ogorevc, is a testament to Slovenian entrepreneurial spirit and the power of strategic partnerships. Ogorevc's journey from a pharmacist to a successful food entrepreneur, creating healthy and delicious granolas and protein bars, is inspiring.

You have to start selling this.

โ€” Friends of Natalija OgorevcFriends encouraged Natalija Ogorevc to commercialize her homemade granolas.

Her decision to approach Hofer, a major retail player, proved pivotal. Hofer's willingness to recognize her product's potential and offer opportunities, starting with promotional sales and evolving into a private-label collaboration, highlights a supportive business environment. This collaboration allowed Amafood to secure continuous orders and maintain its high-quality standards, a crucial factor for any growing food business.

I respect that Hofer was among the first to give us an opportunity.

โ€” Natalija OgorevcOgorevc expressed gratitude for Hofer's early support.

What makes this story particularly resonant in Slovenia is the emphasis on local production and quality. Ogorevc's insistence on maintaining the original recipes for Hofer's private-label brands, now under the "Golden Bridge" label, underscores a commitment to excellence that benefits consumers. The fact that Amafood's products are not only popular in Slovenia but also finding their way to international markets through Hofer speaks volumes about the quality and appeal of Slovenian-made goods.

I recognized that something extra in Hofer. It is extremely important to me that we maintain the quality of the products, and I know very well what goes into my products, as all raw material procurement goes through me.

โ€” Natalija OgorevcOgorevc emphasized Hofer's value alignment and her personal commitment to product quality.

This narrative showcases how a small, innovative company can thrive by aligning with a large retailer that values quality and shared growth. Itโ€™s a story of ambition, resilience, and smart business acumen, demonstrating that even in a competitive market, a unique product and a strong partnership can lead to significant success.

I said, not at all! The recipe remains just as high quality, because in the end, the name of the manufacturer is written on the packaging, and Amafood is written there.

โ€” Natalija OgorevcOgorevc insisted on maintaining the original recipe for Hofer's private-label products.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Delo in Slovenian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.